3 September 2016 - Letters to the Editor

Foreign investors, parking and social infrastructure in Letters to the Editor

Concerns raised about traffic and parking at the aged care facility under construction in Smith Street Cleveland

Parking, infrastructure and the activities of local real estate agents promoting Cleveland and the Toondah Harbour project to Chinese investors prompted some letters to Redlands2030 this week.

Parking problems at Smith Street, Cleveland

Seems that when a building is in the construction phase all local laws are ignored.

The new nursing home being built near the top of Smith St in Cleveland is the cause of many parking and traffic problems. The posted area for ‘no parking’ on the verge is totally ignored and the bus stop on the corner cannot be accessed as vehicles are always parked there.

I also noticed with dismay that there appears to be no room for future staff to park in the grounds let alone room for visitors to the patients.

I wasn’t surprised that wealthy Chinese people were interested in purchasing property in Cleveland as it is such a beautiful area, but I was surprised to read was that an estate agency had actively sought overseas investors to not only look in Cleveland, but, “especially the Toondah Harbour Project.”

I was of the belief that the government had not yet approved the Toondah Harbour development because they are awaiting environmental safety and impact reports. Is this not the cart before the horse?

D. Brown Ormiston

What about medical and social infrastructure?

If you listen to local politicians, Toondah Harbour seems to be the panacea of all that is wrong with our part of the Redlands. It will bring in jobs; it will bring visitors who spend money, blah, blah, blah.

I’m sure everyone knows that the building giants who will create the development will bring all their own workers with them and hand out half or dozen piece-meal roles to locals to keep politicians happy; it is how they keep costs down.

Yep, of course it will bring visitors – visitors who won’t have anywhere to park because the Eat Street Market shipping containers will take up the only spaces left in Cleveland!

Is this my biggest issue? Nope! My biggest issue is that there has been no real discussion about wider infrastructure issues. Yes, we know the roads are terrible and that work is being done to try and resolve this, but what about medical, social, safety and educational infrastructure?

We don’t have a hospital that is fully resourced now! How many people will needlessly die before the issue is addressed? I have heard no one in local government talk about the capacity schools have to accommodate a population increase.

What about policing, what is being planned for all who live in Cleveland/Ormiston when the increase in crime is developed on our doorstep?

Councillors please stop being distracted by international sporting events and look at what is happening outside the front door of your constituents please.

N. Berg Ormiston.

What do you think?

If you have something to say, send your letter to theeditor@redlands2030.net

4 thoughts on “Foreign investors, parking and social infrastructure in Letters to the Editor”

Wealthy Chinese head to Redlands. This is not new, only informing residents of Redlands in local newspaper, is. Recall when then Premier Peter Beattie parachuted Michael Choi (under a cloud) into MP seat of Capalaba, ex-bankrupt builder, loyal AWU member of Labor Party, soon involved in local development issues due in part to Karen Williams, on becoming the new mayor, visiting China & hiring Chinese workers Mr Choi soon found work for in Wellington Point, Birkdale, etc. Along with Bne Lord Mayor Quirk, on asking whether on same visit to China he also hired Chinese workers, stated he did not.
Deals have been done whereby wealthy Chinese builders have been offered and plan on developing Cleveland and places beyond with full support of powerful local and State politicians. My feeling is that as with past local government policy, voices of we the people of Redlands, will fall on deaf ears.?

Needing emergency treatment last year my niece, on picking me up, instead of turning right for Redlands Hospital, turned left onto Finucane Rd en route to PA Hospital for treatment. A friend’s neighbour in Alex Hills suffered an aneurysm with ambulance taking her to Redlands Hospital only to discover en route seriousness of her condition, turned around & drove to Bne City hospital having lost valuable time before doctors had her on the operating table. Damage was severe…so much so, family and friends today visit bedside in the new McKenzie CapellaBay Aged Care home in Capalaba, sadly to see her with one side of body paralyzed, and having to be fed through opening in stomach for the rest of her days. As Jan says, Redlands Hospital is under-resourced and will be under further pressure as population continues to grow.

After a recent emergency admission to our local hospital by ambulance, during a normal working day and not at a peak hour, to spend time ramped with 5 other ambulance crews as your ambulance crew stays with you until you are assigned a bed, to have the frazzled admission staff saying “I have no beds”, to have higher ups, calling out to prioritize, prioritize, and to after 40 mins finally get a bed makes you realise how under-resourced Redlands hospital is but also how wasteful of time for ambulance crews the procedure is. I was very well looked after by Redlands ambulance, by Redlands hospital staff but they are allworking under difficulties created by systems and underresourcing that can only get worse with higher numbers.